Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Some nine mental health consultants in Carlow, Kilkenny and south Tipperary have withdrawn their confidence in the HSE's management of the service. As was revealed on RTE's "This Week" programme, these doctors, in a letter to the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, cited nine suicides by service users between August 2011 and January 2013. They included three suicides by in-patients by the same means, four suicides in home settings and one in a crisis house. The Taoiseach will agree that this is dramatic, disturbing and a very serious development. The doctors in question raised their concerns with the HSE in November 2012 and on a number of subsequent occasions. In their letter to the Minister of State one year ago they repeatedly questioned the safety of governance in the service, saying they felt devalued and ignored in attempting to raise concerns. They called on the Minister of State to intervene to ensure the proper investigation of incidents and that review findings would be properly communicated and appropriate reforms implemented. They were told their concerns had been addressed, but they said they were not informed of the outcomes of reviews of serious incidents. Is the Taoiseach concerned about the number of deaths by suicide of mental health service users in this area? Has he discussed it with the Minister or the Minister of State? What does the Government intend to do about this very disturbing revelation?

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